University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Javyn Nicholson
January 16, 2021 | Women's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Javyn Nicholson used her time back home in the spring during the quarantine period to come out of it a healthier and fitter person. The Georgia women's basketball sophomore did just that and she said she can feel the difference on the court.
A 6-foot-2 post player from Lawrenceville, Ga., Nicholson talked during a recent Quick Chat about changing her diet and focusing on improving in any way she could. She also talked about online classes, streaming shows, watching film and much more.
Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: What was it like going through this fall semester, when you're here but classes are mostly online and you're not really interacting with many people and you're not on campus much?
Nicholson: It was definitely an adjustment, just with a lot of different protocols and a lot of different things that we're not used to doing as an athlete. But from a school perspective, I kind of liked it better. It was a lot more chill, classes were a little bit easier just from the standpoint of most of my classes were online so I didn't have to attend in-person classes. I had more rest time and more time to get into the gym and things of that nature.
Frierson: Did you miss getting to know your classmates and being able to walk through campus on a pretty day?
Nicholson: No, not really. I'm an introverted kind of person and I just like to stay to myself. I also feel like I can learn better online.
Frierson: Going back to quarantine in the spring and beyond, how did you fill those hours? Did you pick up any new hobbies?
Nicholson: Not necessarily new hobbies, I just really wanted to use quarantine and make something positive out of it. A lot of people were depressed or looked at it as a negative thing, and I just wanted it to be a positive thing.
I decided that I was going to lose weight so I changed my diet, and just really wanted to break down my game and figure out which ways I could get better. The majority of the quarantine was just me working on myself and trying to be better in every way possible.
Frierson: Take me through changing your diet – what did you get rid of and what did you add?
Nicholson: I cut out fried foods, fried chicken, french fries, things of that nature, and I stopped eating a lot of bread. I really got down to just lean meats and a lot of salads. I tried to cut back on extra fats, like dressings. I was just watching everything to make sure I had a balanced plate.
I lost the 20 pounds, so I think that's a great accomplishment. Looking back, it's like, wow, I really did that and I can feel the difference. I'm definitely playing a lot better because of it.
Frierson: Is there one thing you gave up that you miss the most?
Nicholson: No, not really. It's kind of like my mindset has shifted to where now I love to eat the healthier foods because I know how my body's going to feel and how it's going to help me. I'm more willing now to eat healthier and cut out the fast food and that stuff.
Frierson: How are you a better player now than you were a year ago?
Nicholson: I would just say maturity. Obviously, freshman year is always a rocky one, just getting used to everything. Just having that year under my belt and being more comfortable, I think that's translating a lot for me. I'm just more comfortable on the floor and it's also putting me in a better leadership role because I have to talk to our freshmen and give my insight into the things that I see and things that I've experienced.
Frierson: We just got done with Christmas, so what is the best present you've ever received? Is there one that stands out?
Nicholson: I think all the gifts pretty much stand out to me, I can't really pick a certain one. I just like to be around my family and around some good food, and just celebrate the good times.
Frierson: What's the best present you've ever given someone?
Nicholson: I would definitely with my nephew, he's pretty much excited about anything. So anything I get him, I know he's going to love.
Frierson: What are you most looking forward to doing once the world gets back to normal, hopefully at some point in 2021?
Nicholson: It would probably be concerts or the movie theater, just the casual, I'm going to go see a movie.
Frierson: Are you filling your entertaining time with Netflix and the other streaming channels?
Nicholson: Netflix, Hulu, Starz — I'm watching all the shows.
Frierson: What's been the best thing you've watched since the world shut down?
Nicholson: That's a great question. I've watched a lot of "Prison Break." I've watched "Euphoria," "Power" — off the top of my head I really cannot think of many others.
Frierson: Do you watch much basketball stuff on YouTube or anywhere else?
Nicholson: I watched the (Michael) Jordan documentary, of course. I watch a lot of game film of myself and other players; I watch a lot of Candace Parker, (Elena) Delle Donne, just anybody who I think I can resemble and just take pieces of their game.
Frierson: Have you gotten better at looking at somebody's game and seeing something you can use? Are you a better student of the game in that way?
Nicholson: Yeah, for sure, just because I want to evaluate my game and see what I'm doing wrong. I'm more of a visual learner and I want to see what I did in that certain play or possession, and then talk through what I should do.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Â
Staff Writer
Javyn Nicholson used her time back home in the spring during the quarantine period to come out of it a healthier and fitter person. The Georgia women's basketball sophomore did just that and she said she can feel the difference on the court.
A 6-foot-2 post player from Lawrenceville, Ga., Nicholson talked during a recent Quick Chat about changing her diet and focusing on improving in any way she could. She also talked about online classes, streaming shows, watching film and much more.
Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: What was it like going through this fall semester, when you're here but classes are mostly online and you're not really interacting with many people and you're not on campus much?
Nicholson: It was definitely an adjustment, just with a lot of different protocols and a lot of different things that we're not used to doing as an athlete. But from a school perspective, I kind of liked it better. It was a lot more chill, classes were a little bit easier just from the standpoint of most of my classes were online so I didn't have to attend in-person classes. I had more rest time and more time to get into the gym and things of that nature.
Frierson: Did you miss getting to know your classmates and being able to walk through campus on a pretty day?
Nicholson: No, not really. I'm an introverted kind of person and I just like to stay to myself. I also feel like I can learn better online.
Frierson: Going back to quarantine in the spring and beyond, how did you fill those hours? Did you pick up any new hobbies?
Nicholson: Not necessarily new hobbies, I just really wanted to use quarantine and make something positive out of it. A lot of people were depressed or looked at it as a negative thing, and I just wanted it to be a positive thing.
I decided that I was going to lose weight so I changed my diet, and just really wanted to break down my game and figure out which ways I could get better. The majority of the quarantine was just me working on myself and trying to be better in every way possible.
Frierson: Take me through changing your diet – what did you get rid of and what did you add?
Nicholson: I cut out fried foods, fried chicken, french fries, things of that nature, and I stopped eating a lot of bread. I really got down to just lean meats and a lot of salads. I tried to cut back on extra fats, like dressings. I was just watching everything to make sure I had a balanced plate.
I lost the 20 pounds, so I think that's a great accomplishment. Looking back, it's like, wow, I really did that and I can feel the difference. I'm definitely playing a lot better because of it.
Frierson: Is there one thing you gave up that you miss the most?
Nicholson: No, not really. It's kind of like my mindset has shifted to where now I love to eat the healthier foods because I know how my body's going to feel and how it's going to help me. I'm more willing now to eat healthier and cut out the fast food and that stuff.
Frierson: How are you a better player now than you were a year ago?
Nicholson: I would just say maturity. Obviously, freshman year is always a rocky one, just getting used to everything. Just having that year under my belt and being more comfortable, I think that's translating a lot for me. I'm just more comfortable on the floor and it's also putting me in a better leadership role because I have to talk to our freshmen and give my insight into the things that I see and things that I've experienced.
Frierson: We just got done with Christmas, so what is the best present you've ever received? Is there one that stands out?
Nicholson: I think all the gifts pretty much stand out to me, I can't really pick a certain one. I just like to be around my family and around some good food, and just celebrate the good times.
Frierson: What's the best present you've ever given someone?
Nicholson: I would definitely with my nephew, he's pretty much excited about anything. So anything I get him, I know he's going to love.
Frierson: What are you most looking forward to doing once the world gets back to normal, hopefully at some point in 2021?
Nicholson: It would probably be concerts or the movie theater, just the casual, I'm going to go see a movie.
Frierson: Are you filling your entertaining time with Netflix and the other streaming channels?
Nicholson: Netflix, Hulu, Starz — I'm watching all the shows.
Frierson: What's been the best thing you've watched since the world shut down?
Nicholson: That's a great question. I've watched a lot of "Prison Break." I've watched "Euphoria," "Power" — off the top of my head I really cannot think of many others.
Frierson: Do you watch much basketball stuff on YouTube or anywhere else?
Nicholson: I watched the (Michael) Jordan documentary, of course. I watch a lot of game film of myself and other players; I watch a lot of Candace Parker, (Elena) Delle Donne, just anybody who I think I can resemble and just take pieces of their game.
Frierson: Have you gotten better at looking at somebody's game and seeing something you can use? Are you a better student of the game in that way?
Nicholson: Yeah, for sure, just because I want to evaluate my game and see what I'm doing wrong. I'm more of a visual learner and I want to see what I did in that certain play or possession, and then talk through what I should do.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Â
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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